Friday, March 31, 2023

5 on a Friday: Cheap Tricks Edition

 Just because I splurged ridiculously on face cream (why YES, I DID go back to Ulta and snag the night cream for half off— thank you for the comment on that post!) does not mean I have outgrown my love of cheap things. In fact, here are 5 things under $20 that I am loving right now.

1. I know I told you about it before, but THIS cuticle balm is THE BOMB (bomb/balm- I have had A Lot of coffee this morning)


2. THESE Eddie Bauer 4-piece jammies from Costco. I am in between a medium and s mall, and honestly BOTH sizes are awkward in their own way, but I still pick up a pack when I am buying groceries because I want to collect them all, and they are SO COMFY.


3. THESE Contigo water bottles from Target. 2 for 20 bucks?! Love that for me.



4. THIS salad bento. GOOD FOR SO MUCH MORE THAN SALADS (but also good for salads, too)



5. THIS pornographic hair wand. Stephany recommended it, and I delighted to click over and see that is in only $19.99. Amazing waves, so easy to use, AND I think it will be great for Dorothy’s curly dance ponytail. SO MUCH WINNING.



Tell me, what cheap accessory is making your life better these days?


Thursday, March 30, 2023

Water Park: CHECK

 

FINALLY. We braved spring break week in the Wisconsin Dells and took the kids to a water park. 

(AND! Harry went on a separate trip to the Dells with friends, but Ben had to drive him there because he had tennis tryouts and had to go later than his friends. But then, that night after Ben got home, the coach emailed the team and changed the time of the following day’s tennis tryouts, and Ben had to drive BACK TO THERE and get Harry before work. THEN WE DROVE THERE AND BACK AGAIN. TWICE. And now I need an oil change.)

Did I LOVE this little trip? No, not really. Did the kids? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

Dorothy was not sure the first night. She spent most of the time with me and Minnie at the tot slide, which was good because Minnie on the little kid slide was a 2-person job. Someone had to get her to the top and then someone had to be there to catch her. 

But Dorothy psyched herself up the next day and went on everything except some log ride thing that the boys told her was not very fun and the toilet bowl slide because that one really freaks her out.














Jack and Cooper got to roam around together (except when they had to take a turn helping Minnie) and loooooved life.




Minne? Minnie went down the same orange slide about 200 times. AND LOVED IT EVERY TIME. The big kids were all so sweet and patient with her. She was READY TO GO the second day around lunch time which was beyond fine with us. We held her over with snacks and Netflix on Ben’s phone while everyone else scampered off to do their favorite things one more time, and she rallied pretty well.









SUCCESS!

Ben really wanted this airbrush temporary tattoo
But he got his act together

ALSO THAT MAN AND HIS WIFE WENT IN THE WATER FULLY CLOTHED. WHY?

We did have a hotel room big enough for all of us, but we did not stay the night. Mostly because Harry didn’t want to come because he had other stuff to do, and we really didn’t want to leave him home alone overnight. But also because yuck, you know?

We showered the kids in our room, went home, slept in our own beds, and came back for more the next day. With a bonus stop at a candy store that had PAW PATROL STUFFIES YOU GUYS. As if Minnie’s day wasn’t magical enough.




Ben got only old great grandma candy though.

AND THERE WERE DOLLS AT SOME KIND OF FUNERAL
But listen, I found Chuckles, and I couldn’t find them at a single gas station when we went to Florida for Thanksgiving, so that’s a win.
On our slightly creepy tunnel walk from the hotel to the park, Dorothy wanted everyone to recreate this picture 


from 5 years ago, but she was the only one enthused.
Things I want myself to remember next time I Google Chula Vista or WI Dells or water park in the little search box on this blog to see if I have been there and if I like it:

1. IT IS VERY DIRTY.
2. IT IS VERY PEOPLE-Y
3. IT IS EXPENSIVE.
4. When you are in the tot pool, you feel cold water dripping on your head and assume it is a water feature but it is just someone’s dirty splash water leaking from a tube slide over your head with a rusty bottom like the slide is peeing on you while you stand ankle-deep in tot pool water which has to be like 65% pee.
5. THE KIDS LOVE IT.











Wednesday, March 29, 2023

We’re baaa-aaack

 Seriously, though. The only food places I truly missed during the panny were my favorite greasy spoon diner and the Elks Lodge. I clearly have a super refined and sophisticated palate. 

The kids and I have been to Mickie’s, and finally! Ben was re-instated as an  Elk (dumb to let his membership lapse in retrospect), and we wasted no time eating their Friday (by ourselves) and Saturday (with the kids). It was exactly as I remembered! Pull tabs! REALLY strong and delicious old fashioneds. Delightful WI supper club ambiance. Perfect lake views. You get the idea.







Also, Friday was my first Friday fish fry in my entire 20 years of Wisconsin living. WHAT?!

I think we’re taking the littles back this Friday— can’t stop/won’t stop, etc.

(Those half-drunk old fashioneds are to show you that’s ALL THE COCKTAIL I CAN HANDLE).